It’s Not the Oven’s Fault. You Are Roasting Your Veggies Wrong

If I went to a room chocked full of people and said I didn’t like roasted veggies, I will probably be hated by the entire gathering. Roasted vegetables are a class apart from stir-fried and grilled varieties. They are tastier, healthier and can be used along with a variety of bread or even as standalone salads. However, many home chefs don’t understand how to roast veggies properly and end up blaming the oven for the unexciting results.

Let me reveal this secret to you- it’s not the oven’s fault. It is more likely that you are roasting your veggies wrong. Here are a few simple tips that will change the way you roast your veggies completely.

Be generous with oil and seasonings

Some people believe that using less oil is the best way to make more conscious health decisions. However, this doesn’t stand true when it comes to roasting. You are not using oil to deep fry veggies. In fact, it helps them stay tender. Using less oil means your veggies will dry out very soon and they will taste bland too. Oils add flavor to your veggies. Make sure that you coat them evenly with olive oil (or any other oil of your choice) and sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper too. Failing this, you will compromise on the taste.

Charring is a sign that your veggie is done

What is the point in roasting a vegetable if you don’t see charring along the edges? Some people believe that charring is a sign that a vegetable is overcooked. However, it only means that you are doing everything right. Ideally, avoid setting a strict time to cook your veggies. Keep checking at 10-minute intervals if the food is charred from the sides. If yes, it’s a good sign that your job is done. If not, just leave it in there longer.

Always leave some space

Don’t place the slices of food too close to each other on the tray. Instead, ensure that you make uniform cuts and leave even spaces in between each slice. This will help in getting better quality roasting and ensure that you get a finer taste as well. If you are short of time, just cut thinner slices but don’t crowd the tray. It will lead to steaming.

Mixed vegetable roasting

This is one of the most important things you should not about roasting- every vegetable has a different roasting time. Root vegetables may take as long as 30 to 45 minutes while tomatoes are usually done in 10 minutes. There are two ways to roast mixed veggies. The first idea is to roast them separately. If one vegetable takes 15 minutes and another takes 30 minutes, you could roast them in separate batches or keep them in different trays.

The second option is to layer the tray. First, add the veggies that take the most time to grill like potatoes and beetroots. Then add green beans in the last 20 minutes and tomatoes in the last 10 minutes. This will help you get a perfect grill.